The Time Is Near
by Eponinexoxo
Summary: When Eponine is in need of help, it is not Marius but Enjolras who comes to her aid. But will Eponine be able to let her guard down and let him help her? And can marble truly break?
1. Chapter 1

It is midday at the Café Musain when a young girl suddenly bursts through the doors. Cheeks flushed, she frantically scans the room. It's Enjolras who first addresses her. "Mademoiselle, are you lost?"

He is cut off by her urgent speaking. "There is a man chasing me, Monsieur, I beg of you please tell him I am not here." At this, she jumps behind the bar, drawing her knees to her chest. Enjolras doesn't even have a moment to react before a very angry looking young man storms in. His dark hair is flying and his green eyes shoot daggers at everyone present. "I'm looking for a girl. Young, scrawny thing. Dark hair. Has she been here? You see, she's my sister. She ran off, she's always causing trouble, and I need to find her soon or her, our, father will be very, very upset." He says, emphasizing the upset. Enjolras sees the girl cringe at this, and he immediately knows what he has to do.

"I'm terribly sorry, but there has been no one by that description who has been at this café." Enjolras lies, hoping his voice, his best asset, will make this man leave. Whoever this man was, if he terrified the young girl so, he was not welcome. "Best of luck finding her though. Good day."

The man scowls as he turns to leave, mumbling words Enjolras couldn't understand. Once he is out of sight, Enjolras turns to the girl. Looking closer, she was vaguely familiar. He recognized her as the girl who came with Marius to many of their meetings. She always sat in the corner silently, talking only to Marius. If he remembered correctly, her name is Eponine.

Enjolras clears his throat. "Mademoiselle, I believe it is safe now." Eponine cautiously stands up from her hiding spot, her large brown eyes still full of fear.

"Thank you Monsieur. I will be going now." She tried to hurry out, but without thinking, Enjolras grabs her wrist to stop her. She lets out a small yelp of pain, and he immediately releases her. She tries to hide it, but to no avail.

"Did he hurt you?" Enjolras demands.

"Monsieur, it really isn't your concern." She again tries to leave, but Enjolras steps in front if her, but is careful not to touch her. He gently pulls up her sleeve, much to her protest, and reveals several handprint shaped bruises.

"Did he do this?" Enjolras has a fire in his eyes now, and Eponine can see it.

"I must be going now." Eponine responds, quickly sidestepping around Enjolras, who stands confused. Before he even has a moment to call out to her, she is gone.

"Wasn't that the girl that's always with Marius?" Grantaire asks, eyes never leaving the bottle in front of him.

"Yes, I believe it was. I'm very concerned, whoever that man was, he obviously injured her. I do not understand why she was in such a hurry to leave." Enjolras responded, both confused and irritated. He only wanted to help, but she would not allow even that. Although he has a speech to prepare for tonight's meeting, he could not keep his thoughts from trailing back to Eponine. He could only hope he would get a moment to speak with her tonight.

Several hours later, Marius arrives at the café. Several of the other students began filing in, in preparation for the meeting. Enjolras desperately wanted to pull Marius aside and ask him about Eponine, but unfortunately did not get the chance. Right before the meeting officially was to begin, Enjolras spotted Eponine slinking through the door. She made her way to where Marius was seated and smiled excitedly as he greeted her. Throughout his speech, he couldn't keep his eyes from constantly wandering back to where the two were sitting. He couldn't help but notice the way Eponine acted around Marius. She would smile and her eyes would light up. She would lean into him, hanging onto every word. The most intriguing thing was how happy she looked, as if there were no place in the world she would rather be.

After he finished his speech, Enjolras made his way to where Marius and Eponine were sitting. "Good even Marius, Eponine." Enjolras greeted them, somewhat hesitant, curious as to how Eponine would react.

"You two are acquainted?" Marius asks, brows furrowing together.

"Did she not not tell you about this afternoon?" It is Enjolras' turn to be surprised. Her and Marius seemed very close, so surely she would have told him of her experience earlier.

"No. 'Ponine?" Marius turns to Eponine who is staring off into space. She snaps back into attention when he says her name.

"I simply stopped by the café this afternoon to see if you were here. I was greeted by..." She trails off realizing she had not even caught the name of the man who had tried to help her.

"Enjolras." Enjolras wants to ask her a million questions, and he finally gets the opportunity when Marius excuses himself to say hello to Joly and Combeferre. "Are you okay?" He asks, hoping for a decent answer.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She raises her eyes to his, challenging him. Has she truly forgotten the afternoon's events, or did she simply not want to talk about it? Either way, Enjolras is determined for an answer.

"You know perfectly well why. Who was that man? The one who stormed into the café looking for you? Is he really your brother?"

Eponine let's out a little chuckle at this. "No, he is not my brother. I do have a brother actually, but he is about half of his height." She changes to a more serious tone. "His name is Montparnasse. He works for my father. It really isn't anything to worry yourself with."

"If he is harming you then I will worry. He has no right to do that!"

"There's nothing you or I will be able to do about it. And why does this concern you so much? You hardly know me."

"I will not stand to see anyone in harm, and I know Marius would not like to see you in any danger either." At this, Eponine gazes off to where Marius is sitting. Her expression expresses both hopefulness and sadness. It is fairly obvious that she has feelings of more than friendship for him.

"Do not concern yourself with me, you have more important things to busy yourself with." She stands and glances around. Suddenly, her face visibly pales. "What time is it?" She asks, voice shaking.

The meeting had run longer than usual, and their conversation had also lasted a good amount if time. "It is about half past ten." Enjolras tells her, noting her concerned expression.

"Dear God! I need to leave now!" Eponine sprints out if the café, once again leaving Enjolras alone and with more questions than answers.

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**Thank you for reading! Please review your thoughts and follow/favorite if you enjoyed. **


	2. Chapter 2

Eponine's lungs scream as she runs through the streets of Paris, faster than she has ever run before. She knows that she should save her energy, God knows she's going to need it when she arrives home, but she still pushes herself faster. But in the back if her mind she knows it is hopeless. She's late, and her fate is sealed. She arrives home and takes a moment to catch her breath before gritting her teeth and walking through the door. The familiar faces of the Patron-Minette surround her.  
"So Eponine, care to explain where you've been?" Eponine faced her father, praying she did not look as terrified as she felt. A few minutes late is a few kicks in the side, a slap in the face. But hours? Eponine did not want to know, but unfortunately, she wouldn't have to wait long to find out. Eponine didn't respond, not wanting her father to know she's been at the café. Her father already thinks she wastes too much time there as it is. "Answer me girl!" He shouts, slapping her hard in the face. When she still remains silent, he punches her roughly in the stomachs, knocking all of the air out of her. Eponine stumbles backward, right into Montparnasse, who laughs wickedly.  
"We needed you tonight, 'Ponine, and you weren't there. I think you are going to have to make it up to us somehow." His hands slide lower down to her waist, purposely pressing on the bruises on her hips he gave to her earlier that day. Eponine squirms underneath his wandering hands, but he's stronger than her and they both know it. Still, Eponine has too much pride to simply allow him to have his way with her, so she turns and swiftly kicks him between his legs, causing him to cry out in pain. "You bitch!" Montparnasse tosses her to the floor. Eponine closes her eyes as she's kicked and hit on every part of her already weak body. She tries to suppress her screams, not wanting to give her father the satisfaction, but even she cannot hide the pain. She screams as a boot comes in direct contact with her ribs, as another crushes her hand. Tears stream down her face, and still the beating continues. After what feels like forever, it stops. Eponine's father hoists her up by her hair.  
"If I tell you to be somewhere, you will be there when and where I tell you. Not a second later, or what happens to you will make this will seem like a walk in the park." With that, he pulls out his knife and presses it into Eponine's side. Tears run down her face now, but not just from pain. Her own father stabbed her. She knew Thenardier was cruel and relentless, but she never imagined that he would stoop so low. He drops her to the floor, and Eponine nearly passes out from the pain. Everyone slowly files out, giving her a kick or two as they go. Everyone but Montparnasse. Eponine doesn't even try to fight him, knowing its hopeless. She just lays there wishing she could die.  
At the cafe, Enjolras cannot get over the feeling that something was wrong. He had always had good intuition, and he could not focus on anything but Eponine. The look of pure fear on her face as she discovered the time, the way she sprinted out as if her life depended on it chilled Enjolras to the bone. He feared that she may be in danger. He pushes those thoughts to the side. While he does have good intuition, he also can overreact to situations. Enjolras hopes this is the case as he rejoins his group of friends. It was well into the night, but many were still at the café, drinking and talking. Grantaire had fallen asleep hours ago, barely staying awake and sober enough for Enjolras' speech. Joly and Combeferre were laughing at something Marius had said, and Enjolras is put slightly more at ease. He notices Gavroche among them, laughing and joining in with the students. Enjolras knows that the boy's passion is real, but he cannot help but feel that it was far too late for a boy his age to be out at such an hour. "Gavroche, should you not be getting home. It is already morning, and a young boy like you should be getting some sleep."  
"Hey Enjolras! No sir, you don't need to worry 'bout me. I'm perfect right here where I am. " Enjolras couldn't help but smile at the response, it was more or less what he expected.  
"I'm glad to see you have enjoyed yourself, but you should be going now, I insist." Enjolras takes on a more commanding tone, and Gavroche's shoulders slump in defeat.  
"If you say so, but I will be back tomorrow!" Gavroche calls as he runs out the door. Enjolras turns back to his friends with only one thought on his mind.  
"Marius, can you tell me more about Eponine?" Enjolras asks, wanting to know more about the young gamin.  
"She's a good friend of mine. I met her a year or two back when I first arrived in Paris. Why do you ask? It isn't like you to show any interest in any member of the opposite sex." Marius looks at Enjolras quizzically, along with the others.  
"Enjolras asking about a woman? My God, how long have I been sleeping?" Grantaire pops up from the table, receiving a roar of laughs.  
"I simply wanted to know more about her, she left so quickly I didn't get to know her well." Enjolras argues, not wanting draw too much attention to the subject. It's too late though, Grantaire is already on a roll.  
"It's okay to like women Enjolras. Eponine's actually quite pretty for a a street urchin, a bit skinny for my taste, but I'd still bed her!" Grantaire rambles in a drunken slur.  
Enjolras glares at Grantaire, refusing to partake in such a derogatory conversation. Seeing their leader's annoyance, they quickly change the subject. Enjolras' thoughts wander back to Eponine, wishing that he knew if she was alright.  
Little did he know, Eponine was stumbling around Paris, struggling to stay alive. After the awful beating, and once Montparnasse finally finished with her, she gathered up what little strength she had left. She headed off to the only place she knew she might get help: the café. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed help. It was either swallow her pride or die. She was so close now, only a few blocks away, but her vision blurs and her legs give out from under her. This is it, she thinks. This is where I will die. She uses her last bit of energy to yell out in desperation, praying that someone, anyone, would hear her.  
Gavroche is making his way through the alleys when he hears a girl cry out. He swears it sounds like his sister. He takes a few turns to where he thinks he heard the scream. He stands in shock as he sees his sister laying on the ground in a pool of her own blood. "Eponine! 'Ponine, wake up! Please Eponine!" He kneels by her side, his hands and pants instantly dyed red. "I'm going to get you help!" Gavroche runs off, tears running down his little face, his hands covered in his sister's blood.  
The students all look up as Gavroche sprints into the cafe, tears running down his face, covered in blood. Enjolras immediately runs to him. "Gavroche, what happened?" Joly runs over, inspecting for the source of the blood.  
"My sister! Please! Please she's been hurt real bad. Please help her!" Gavroche chokes out, shaking.  
Enjolras didn't know Gavroche had a sibling, but he knows he must help. "Take us to her! Joly, Marius, Combeferre and Grantaire, if you can stand, come with!"  
The group takes off, determined to help, but nothing can prepare them for what they find.

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**Thank you so much for reading! Please please please tell me your thoughts I'm dying for some feedback!**


	3. Chapter 3

Joly immediately rushes to her side, checking for a pulse. Enjolras knows he should make himself useful somehow, but he can do nothing but stand and stare. Eponine. Mere hours ago she was with them all at the café, as happy as one could be with a life such as hers. Now, she was dying before his very eyes in a pool of her own blood. Enjolras curses himself, he knew something was wrong, and yet he still did nothing. He would never be able to lead a revolution if he could not save even one girl. Except she isn't just one girl. She is Eponine. Enjolras grabs Gavroche, trying to turn the boy's eyes away from the sight. While he had no idea that the two were siblings, he could tell that Gavroche cared for Eponine very much. The pure terror in his eyes when he went back to the café said it all. Enjolras hands Gavroche off to Combeferre before kneeling down next to Joly and Eponine. "Is she, is she alive?" Enjolras could barely ask. He would never be able to live with himself if the answer is no.

Joly nodded, but still looked grim. "Yes, but if we cannot get her help immediately, she will not live much longer. It's too dark to see much, but it is obvious she has been stabbed. She's lost so much blood already..." Joly's voice trails off.

"What are we to do!" Marius turns to Enjolras, his face showing the shock that Enjolras feels. Unlike Enjolras, Marius has no problem showing his emotions.

"Joly, what will you need to do to save her?" Enjolras specifically made sure that he did not say try to save her. Eponine must live, she must. But looking at the unmoving girl at his feet, he could not be certain.

"I need to stop the bleeding. Immediately. My medical equipment is at my flat. In the mean time she needs to be somewhere safe. Is there any way she could stay at your and Grantaire's flat? I know it's not the most convenient, but it may be our only choice." Enjolras and Grantaire shared a flat, and Combeferre and Joly had a flat about two blocks further.

"Yes! Joly get your medical supplies! Immediately! I will take Eponine." Enjolras was in full commander mode by this point, and Joly did not even hesitate. "Marius, your jacket." Marius takes it off and places it in Enjolras' hand, who presses it against Eponine's wound in hope to staunch the flow of blood. In the moment, Enjolras has forgotten his own jacket. It seemed that his mistakes were endless tonight, at a moment were he could afford mistakes the least. He gently lifts Eponine off the ground and is shocked by how little she weighs. While it was fairly obvious to any eye that she is underfed, she was practically like lifting air. Combeferre grabs Gavroche, and they move as quickly as possible to Enjolras' flat. When they arrive, Enjolras swears he sees Eponine's hand twitch. "Grantaire! The key! Open the door!" The group crowds in and Enjolras places Eponine on his own bed. A few moments later, Joly returns, bag in hand.

"You should probably all exit the room now, this is going to be a long night." Joly is in full doctor mode now, completely focused.

"I must stay, you will be in need of assistance." Enjolras insists.

"I'm her best friend!" Marius protests.

Joly, knowing time is of the essence, does not argue with them. Combeferre and Grantaire take Gavroche out of the room. Enjolras cannot imagine the emotional trauma the young boy must be going through. He turns back to Eoonine. Joly removes her dress, the well worn fabric tearing easily. "Damn these corsets." Joly mumbles under his breath. He ends up cutting it, Eponine's life being his only priority. He wraps up her chest to protect her modesty. Enjolras hears Joly suck in a gasp. Enjolras stares in horror at the mass if bruises covering her. Her entire torso is covered in bruises, and Enjolras sees her arms are covered as well. He makes out a few distinguishable hand shaped bruises in her wrists. What sickens him the most are the awful bruises in her upper thighs. He did not want to even think about why those are there. Oddly enough, the only thing untouched is her face, except for a hand shaped mark on get cheek. Joly quickly twitches up the gash in her side from the stab wound.

Joly then moves on to inspecting for broken bones, shaking his head when he discovers many. She has several broken ribs, and four of her fingers on her left hand are broken. He wraps those up before finally letting out the breath he had been holding throughout the process.

"Is she going to be alright?" Marius asks, his eyes growing wider.

"Her life is in the hands of God now." Joly states simply. Not unlike Enjolras, he was horrified that someone had done this to her.

Enjolras puts those thoughts into words. "Who has done this? She's practically a child! Marius, how old is she?"

"Seventeen." Marius responds, shaking his head. He could not even describe how he was feeling. Eponine was one of his closest friends, and seeing her in such a state made him feel repulsed.

"A child. She's only a child, and yet someone has nearly beaten her to an early grave. I must know who has done this." Enjolras is furious now. No one had the right to do this, she did not deserve this. No one deserves this.

"Calm yourself, Enjolras." Joly pats his friend awkwardly in the back, unsure if how to calm their usually emotionless leader. "We will find out when she wakes."

The three go out to the sitting room, where Grantaire is furiously sucking on a bottle, even more distraught than usual. Gavroche us sitting beside Combeferre anxiously. "Is 'Ponine okay?" The desperation in his voice is enough to bring Marius into hysterics. He crosses the room to the open window, trying to get ahold of himself.

There is a long pause. It is Joly who finally speaks. "We will simply have to wait until she wakes."

"She will. She's always been strong." Gavroche says with more confidence now.

"Gavroche, do you have any idea who has done this to her?" Enjolras asks, determined for an answer.

Gavroche's face contorts into an expression of fear and sadness, the look aging him twenty years. "It isn't my place to say."

Enjolras is about to press for information when he hears screaming coming from his bedroom. He jumps to his feet, along with the rest of the men. "Please! Please no! No!" The cry is followed by a series of screams and sobs, and it is Enjolras who first rushes to her side. Marius tries to shake her, causing her to jolt awake. She looks at all of the faces in pure horror, immediately throwing her arms over her face in an attempt to protect herself. "Eponine? 'Ponine it is just us, we aren't going to hurt you." Marius says softly.

"How long have I been here, I must be going!" is all Eponine says, trying to get our of the bed.

"That will not be happening." Enjolras says firmly.

"You don't understand! I need to go! My father..." her voice goes from urgency to terror. "If I'm not home..."

"'Ponine!" Gavroche jumps to her side. "I knew you'd be alright. I told 'em so."

"I few bruises can't hurt me." Eponine tells him. Enjolras can see the resemblance between the two now, and he wonders how he could have missed it before.

"Gavroche, it has been a long night. Why don't you go and sleep on the coach." Combeferre suggests.

"But-"

"Now," Enjolras adds, and Gavroche wanders out if the room. All eyes turn to Eponine. "I know this has been a horrid night for you, but will you tell us who did this?" Enjolras tries to ask as gently as he can.

Eponine just shakes her head. "You wouldn't understand," she mumbles, her eyes staring down at her lap. A tear slides down her cheek as she speaks.

"You can tell us 'Ponine. We care, we can help." Marius adds.

Eponine looks up at them now. "No you can't. I'm forever damned to the life I'm living, and there is nothing any of you can do to stop it." There isn't even a hint of sadness in her voice, she says it as a fact.

"We will not allow you to be hurt. No one deserves this." Enjolras insists.

"But I do. It was my own fault tonight, I deserved it."

"No you did not. Nothing justifies what has been done to you!" Enjolras argues, shocked that she would find this acceptable.

"I knew I was in for it the moment I stepped through the door." She says, but as she does her mouth twists up as if she knows she said something wrong.

Enjolras takes a moment to realize what she must mean. "This happened to you in your own home?" Surely it couldn't have. Impossible.

"You do not know the life I live." She says sadly. "And I must get back to that life, immediately. I need to get home!" The urgency in her voice is back.

"You cannot go home if that is where you were hurt!" Combeferre says, speaking Enjolras' own thoughts.

"If I don't, they will find me. They will also hurt all of you in the process. I refuse to let that happen, and you have already helped me more than I deserve."

"Who is "they"? You said they will find you," Marius asks.

"The Patron-Minette." Eponine states.

"As in the Patron-Minette?" Enjolras asks, horrified. Enjolras prayed that was not the case. Almost everyone in Paris knows of the terrible gang of murderers and thieves. Get on their bad side, and you are as good as dead. Then, all the pieces slowly start piecing together. The name of she man who attacked her earlier, Montparnasse, had seemed terrible familiar, but at the time Enjolras could not remember why. Montparnasse is one of the men in the Patron-Minette. Eponine just nodded in response, ashamed.

"Why are you involved with them?" Marius asks, bewildered. He also seemed a bit wary, not that anyone could blame him for that. A friend of the Patron-Minette is a dangerous friend to have.

"Do you think I want to be!" Eponine shouted, now furious. "It is not my choice!"

"And why is that?" Enjolras demands.

"Do you know who the leader of the Patron Minette is?" Eponine asks, softer now.

"A man named Thénardier, I believe." Grantaire says, speaking for the first time.

"Do you know what my name is?" Eponine asks them.

"Jondrette," Marius responds. "You told me your last name is Jondrette."

"If only," Eponine says sadly.

"Eponine, what are you trying to say!" Enjolras is usually a man of patience, but he could not stand this any longer.

Eponine takes a deep breath as if what she is about to say pains her. "My name is Eponine Thénardier."

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**If there's enough interest, I'm probably going to start updating weekly, on either Friday or Saturday! Thanks for reading and be sure to review and follow/fave!**


	4. Chapter 4

It all makes sense now. If he remembered correctly, Enjolras vaguely recalled a man in the café griping about the Patron-Minette, mentioning that Thénardier had a daughter, and a sneaky one at that. Enjolras thought nothing of it, never considering that the friend of Marius could possibly be the daughter of Thénardier. No wonder Eponine gave a false name to Marius; the name Thénardier is as famous as it is feared.

Eponine shakes her head in disgust, as if reading Enjolras' mind. "I'm so sorry," she chokes out, "I've put you all in danger."

"Eponine, your family does not define who you are. I am sure that I'm speaking for all of us when I say that we think no less of you." Enjolras says firmly, but it does little to calm her.

"It's all my fault, you are all in danger if you keep me here! Please, please let me go!" Eponine yells through her tears.

"None of this is your fault, and you aren't going anywhere. It's going to be okay 'Ponine." Marius squeezes her hand and smiles at her. Eponine stops crying, but nothing could mask her fear.

"I would never be able to live with myself if any of you were hurt because of me." Eponine says, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Do not worry about us. We are strong men, we can protect ourselves." Enjolras says with more confidence than he feels. It is very possible that the Patron-Minette is going to be after him and his friends. He's heard stories about them he dare not repeat, and he would be lying if he did not fear for his friends lives. "You should try to rest, if you need anything, anything at all, do not hesitate to ask."

Eponine nods her head, horrified about what they must think of her now. She's the daughter of a thief, a murderer. Not that she's much better. She pickpockets better than anyone in Paris, with Gavroche being her close second. But she would never kill, or even harm anyone, unless it is self defense. That's the difference between her and her father. He is evil because he can be, while she simply does what it takes to stay alive. She closes her eyes as tight as she can as Combeferre shuts the door, wishing she would wake from the nightmare she is living.

The men make their way through the living room as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake the sleeping Gavroche. The file into the kitchen, seating themselves around the small table. None of them can put into words the evening's events. It's is Marius who first speaks. "Her father, how could a father do that to his own daughter!" He cries out. Seeing Eponine in such pain was torture for him, but the most awful part is that she blamed herself. She did nothing to deserve what happened to her. Absolutely nothing.

"Did you forget that her father happens to be Thénardier, one of the most dangerous men in all of Paris?" Combeferre asks. "Although, I must agree. How a father could take part in the near killing of his own daughter is just, sickening." Enjolras sits silently, nearly shaking with anger. This never should have happened, not to Eponine, or to anyone. If it means she won't ever be hurt again, Enjolras will never leave her side. The fear in her eyes when she awoke was the final straw. It could never happen again.

"Listen to me, you should all go home. It has been a long night, get some rest. It is too late of an hour to think clearly. Joly, thank you. Thank you so much." To his horror, Enjolras' voice cracks as he finishes. Everyone looks up in shock. Their leader, made of marble, showing emotion? "Please, everyone go!" Enjolras goes out to the small patio overlooking the streets of Paris. He breathes deeply, trying to get ahold if himself. He needs to be strong right now, for his friends. He needs to be strong, not weak and worried. They all need him to be strong. He wanders back in, unsure of where to go. Grantaire is passed out in his bed, Gavroche is asleep on the coach and Eponine is in his own bed. Obviously, none of those places are options. He decides the floor is as good as its going to get. He tries to direct his mind away from its wandering thoughts of the events of the evening and finally falls into a fitful sleep.

The following morning, Enjolras wakes up to the sun in his eyes, and a stiff neck. From the looks of it, it was still early morning, but Gavroche was already gone. Enjolras could hear Grantaire's snores from down the hall, in his usual drunken slumber. Enjolras opens the door to his own bedroom, checking on Eponine. To his surprise, she was wide awake. She is laying on her side, eyes glazed over, looking a million miles away. "Eponine?" Enjolras asks slowly, not wanting to frighten her.

"Yes?" Eponine responds, not even looking at him. She continues to stare off, looking more sad and lost by the second. It doesn't take a brilliant mind to guess what she's thinking about.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Enjolras asks her cautiously, unsure of how she will react.

She shrugs, or tries to in her condition, and winces as she does so. "Not really. What more is there to say? My father is a bastard, and I'm even bigger trash then you originally thought." She turns her head away in shame.

Enjolras doesn't even respond at first, he's too shocked. He expected her to cry maybe, or tell him to leave her alone. Not this. "You are not trash, Eponine."

"I am. I'm a street urchin, a pickpocket, nothing. I know my place, Monsieur."

"You do not see what I see, then." Enjolras answers.

"And what is it that you see?" She looks him straight in the eye now, her brown eyes boring into his bright blue ones.

"You are determined and strong. I have known you for less than 24 hours, but I can already tell that much. Obviously, you must have at least a few more good points, or their is no way Marius would care about you so much. I have never seen him so concerned last night, if that means anything." At that, Eponine's eyes well up in tears.

"Is that true?" She asks, almost not wanting to know the answer.

"Yes. He cares about you very much. And Eponine, you are very pretty." Both look shocked at that. Enjolras for saying it out loud, he had thought it, not meaning to say it. It wasn't like him to go telling every girl he meets that they are pretty. Or any girl at that. Eponine doesn't believe it, and laughs, which actually just makes her look prettier. Enjolras can tell she doesn't believe it, and he desperately wishes that she would. It's true. Even with a layer of dirt, she's still pretty. He has seen eyes light up, particularly when she talks to Marius. She has a lovely smile, and despite everything she has been through, she still has the potential to be the prettiest girl in all of France. Enjolras gulps, stunned as to why he's even thinking this. Never before in his life has a woman ever had this affect in him.

"Monsieur?" Eponine asks, somewhat amused by his obvious discomfort, but also slightly concerned. "I have a question I've been wondering for a while now."

"I hope I have an answer for you." Enjolras asks, leaning slightly closer.

"Where am I?" She asks, and Enjolras laughs.

"This is the flat that I share with Grantaire." Enjolras explains, realizing she must have been more than a little confused at waking up in such an unknown environment.

"I figured as much, I just wanted to make sure. Thank you again. But as you know, I cannot stay long. I need to get home as soon as possible." Her tone is serious now.

"Eponine, you cannot really think that I would ever allow you to go back to your father after this."

"I have no choice. If I do not go there of my own free will, I will be taken by force. They will hurt you and your friends, and I told you before, I will not let that happen. One of your lives are worth hundreds of mine." Eponine tells him, with a stubbornness to her voice that reminds Enjolras a bit of himself.

"We will deal with that when the time comes. What would you like for breakfast?" Enjolras asks, hoping to divert the conversation away from such heavy topics.

"I don't need anything, Monsieur. Really, you have already been so kind, I need nothing more." Eponine tells him, not wanting more charity from him.

"That's ridiculous. You need food. This is not arguable, and please, call me Enjolras." Yet again, he is surprised by Eponine's reaction. Most people in her position would be taking all they could get, while she would not accept even the slightest help. Eponine opens her mouth to protest, but Enjolras cuts her off. "I will go get breakfast. I will be back within the hour, Grantaire probably will not be awake for a few hours, but you can still wake him up if you need anything." She nods, still not wanting pity. He closes the door softly, leaving her alone with nothing but her own thoughts. With nothing to do, Eponine shuts her eyes, in a pitiful attempt to make up for the sleepless night before.

Back at the Thénardier household, there was hell to pay. "Where is the brat? She should have been back hours ago!" Thénardier roared, grabbing the attention of the rest of the gang. All but Montparnasse, who continues cleaning off his knife with a dirty rag. On the inside, he was more furious than Thénardier. He wants Eponine, but she's not there. That's not how it works. If he wants her, he gets her, and nothing gets in the way of that.

"She's probably with those bourgeois students she always hangs around." Montparnasse growls, his blood boiling at the thought.

"Well, go find her then!" Thénardier yells. "Claquesous, go with him."

"Aren't you coming with us? She's your kid!" Claquesous shoots back.

"No I have business to attend to." Thénardier responds. His "business" consisted of thieving and cheating, but no one dared comment. After all, it was their business too.

"Let's go to the market, look for young, rich students. She's particularly hangs about a brown haired student, an inch or two shorter then myself. If you find her, grab her. If you find one of the students, signal me." Montparnasse commands. It isn't like him to be the leader, but since it is Eponine who is involved, Claquesous doesn't argue with him. Montparnasse grips his knife just a little tighter as they head out onto the streets, ready for anything.

Enjolras hurries about the market, wanting to get back to Eponine as soon as possible. Needless to say, Grantaire is not the best caretaker. As he walks to the bakery to pick up a few croissants, Enjolras gets an uneasy feeling of being watched. He turns around, and swears he sees a figure disappear into the shadows. It isn't possible that the Patron-Minette could be after him this quickly. How could they possible know that Eponine is staying with him? While he knows he is most likely being paranoid, a small part of him still feels in danger. He pays for the pastries as quickly as he can. Glancing over his shoulder ever street or two, Enjolras makes his way back to the flat. He couldn't shake the feeling that a pair of eyes were watching each and every step. He doesn't relax until he reaches the flat, locking the door behind him.

Stupid Bourgeois. Montparnasse has to keep himself from laughing at the student's nervous glances. Montparnasse purposely made himself somewhat obvious, just to rile the student up a bit, but hid away before his face was visible. Watching the discomfort of the rich student made it completely worth his while. Montparnasse also knows that the student is up to something. His nervous actions were those of a guilty man, and Montparnasse is going to find out why. If things kept playing into his hands this easily, Eponine would be his by nightfall.

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**As always thanks for reading and please please please review and fave/follow it makes me the happier than Eponine when she talks to Marius! And thanks to everyone who already has, I really appreciate it. **


	5. Chapter 5

Double checking that he locked the door behind him, Enjolras goes to check on Eponine. She's closing her eyes as tight as she can, as if she's trying to block out the world. "Eponine? Eponine, I have breakfast." Enjolras says softly.

"Thank you so much Mons- Enjolras." She corrects herself, remembering to say his name. "Really, you are too kind." Eponine tells him, trying not to look too eager at the food. She hasn't eaten a proper meal in years, and it had taken its toll on her body. What should be a filled out on seventeen year old body is a fragile frame, her hips just out far too much and her arms and legs are skin and bone. When she was young, her brown hair was always perfect and shiny. Now, it hangs in a matted mess past her shoulder. Thankfully, she still has her beautiful chocolate brown eyes, which even poverty could not take away from her.

She notices Enjolras fidgeting slightly, looking out the window as he fiddles with his hands. "Enjolras? Is everything all right?" She stares him down, demanding an answer. If it has anything to do with her or her being there, she wants to know immediately.

Enjolras opens his mouth then closes it, unsure of how to respond. He does not want to frighten her with his concerns, but he also feels she should know the truth. "Oh nothing. Just thinking of plans for the revolution." He decides she has been put through enough these past days, and he does not need to unnecessarily worry her. She narrows her eyes, fairly certain that he is lying to her, but decides not to press the topic. Thankfully, neither one if them has to say anything, for a knock on the door makes Enjolras jump up. "I'll get it," He says quickly. He looks out of the small hole in the door to check who it was, but is startled when he sees nothing. He turns to walk back when another knock comes. Enjolras looks out again, wondering if the gang had somehow discovered Eponine's whereabouts. Warily, he slowly opens the door.

"G'day Monsieur! Took you long enough!" Gavroche laughs cheekily. Enjolras let's out a sigh of relief. Of course, Gavroche was too small to be see, being barely ten years old. "I came to say hello to Eponine." Gavroche continues, peering in to the flat.

"Of course. Please, come in." Enjolras fully opens the door, fairly convinced that there is no harm. Never in his life has he been so paranoid, but he knows that as long as Eponine is in his care, he will not let anything happen to her. "Eponine, you have a visitor." Enjolras calls to her. He opens the door to his room to see Eponine attempting to fix her brown tangles. She looks up at Enjolras and Gavroche and Enjolras notices she seems slightly disappointed. She immediately drops her hands down, but still puts a smile on her face. He wonders why she would be disappointed to see her own brother, especially since he is Gavroche. His energy level and enthusiasm for the revolution made Enjolras immediately enjoy Gavroche's company. Enjolras has always thought highly of Gavroche, and he could not help but think even more of him now that he knew who his sister is. It suddenly struck Enjolras that she must have been hoping for Marius. The thought bothers Enjolras, but he cannot quite explain why. Eponine obviously has feelings for Marius, but does he return those feelings? Marius has never showed feelings of more than friendship towards Eponine, but is it possible that he may be keeping his feelings to himself? Enjolras doubts that. The Amis never has to guess what Marius is thinking, he's always sharing his thoughts without well, a second thought. Enjolras leaves the room to give the two siblings privacy, not wanting to intrude. He gets out his notebook, writing down more plans for the revolution, then scribbling them out as quickly as he could. His usually focused brain once again wonders to thoughts of Eponine, but this time, she was accompanied by Marius. Enjolras couldn't help but feel that they would be wrong for each other. On their own, they were both good people. Together, they seem like they would simply suck the life out of the other. Eponine was much too adventurous and witty, making Marius seem bland and dull in comparison. Although Enjolras knows little about couples, avoiding all romantic relationships himself, he knows that each person should bring out the best in the other. Eponine and Marius would not do that, now if only she would recognize it... His thoughts continue down their usual tracks, but somehow kept circling back to Eponine. After a frustrating half hour, he hears Gavroche bidding au revoir.

"Good day, Monsieur Enjolras!" Gavroche calls as he makes his way out the door, but not without giving Enjolras a toothy grin. Now, the resemblance between the pair is obvious, with the same sparkle in their eyes and wit in their words. Enjolras doesn't even have time to say his own goodbyes before Gavroche is out the door. Enjolras is about to go check on Eponine when the door to Grantaire's room opens, and the drunk's hangover is obvious as he stumbles into the room, holding his head and cursing.

"God damn it!" Grantaire curses as he makes his way to their kitchen, no doubt searching for a bottle. Last night, Grabtaire had been helpful, definitely not sober, but not drunk enough for a hangover such as this. No doubt that after Eponine was in safety he drunk himself to sleep. Enjolras can not even imagine having to rely on alcohol to ease his his pain, his feelings, his everything. As Grantaire sucks on a bottle, he looks over at Enjolras with vague concern. "Is everything all right?" He asks, eyes leaving the bottle for the first time all morning.

"Yes, of course." Enjolras replies cooly. There was no more reason to stir up Grantaire about his suspicions of the Patron-Minette any more than Eponine. And actually, no Enjolras was far from being fine. His only female friend, if he could even call her that, after all they hardly know each other, has has been nearly beaten to death, his oblivious friend with whom Eponine is in love with does nothing and Enjolas is feeling something for this girl. Is it anything more than friendship? He does not know, but the last thing he needs is a distraction. The revolution must be his first priority, no not his first, his only priority. It is his passion, his life. There is no room in his heart for anything or anyone else. At least, that is what he tells himself. But for once in his life, Enjolras is unable to believe the one thing he has ever known. One girl, Eponine Thénardier, could be changing his life, but is it for better or for worse?

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**Thank you so much for taking the time to read, and also I'd like to say a great big thank you to the reviewers from last week who brought the problems with the paragraph spacing in the previous chapter to my attention! What would I do without you guys? Please follow/fave if you enjoyed and please review your thoughts! It just makes my day!**


	6. Chapter 6

After Gavroche leaves, Eponine lays her head back onto her pillow, unsure of what to feel. Gavroche always cheers her up, but today she feels completely empty after he leaves. Marius. He is the one person she wants to see, and Eponine knows that he does not have any classes today, so why would he not be here? Does he really care about her so little? To Eponine, Marius is everything. But to Marius, what is she? Actions speak louder than words; obviously she means very little. She can't help but wonder why, even though she knows far too well why no one will ever love her. She's a gamine, poor as dirt and about as worthless as the scum off the street, which is exactly what she is. She's not beautiful like the bourgeois girls, she doesn't have any money and no matter how hard she tries, she will never be loved. This realization hits her harder than anything else in her life. She had long since accepted that she was poor, and she would never be beautiful or wanted by Marius. Although a small part of her still feels there is a way for them, her head, her intuition, knows better than to believe such desperation. But to never be loved? To never be accepted? What if that is her future, her fate? The world had long turned its back on her, but this, this is too much.

In the time that Eponine and Gavroche spent talking, Grantaire stumbled off to his room, grumbling about a headache. Enjolras reads a law book, but finds it difficult to concentrate with so many things on his mind. Usually, his thoughts consisted only of the revolution. Patria. The people. That is his life, but now he also has the worry of a young woman to care for, which, shockingly, he has little experience with. More concerning than the girl herself is her family, if he can even call them that. What father could do something so terrible to his own child? His own daughter? While Enjolras' own parents were less than supportive of his political endeavors, he knows they would never lay a hand on him. At least he would be able to protect himself and stand a chance, while Eponine is harmless, unable to put up a fight. No wonder the girl followed Marius about like a shadow, if her own home life is that terrible, surely she would cling onto anyone to get her away from there. But why Marius? Of all of the group, he is by far the worst one she could have turned to. He is not a bad person, he truly has good intentions, but he is oblivious to the world around him. Enjolras would go as far as saying that he is even self absorbed. She deserves better.

Enjolras hears a muffled sound from his room, and he quickly runs to it, fearing the Patron-Minette has somehow discovered Eponine. Without thinking, he grabs a candlestick from the kitchen. While this is probably not the best weapon of choice, Enjolras doesn't have the time think twice. Eponine looks up from the bed as Enjolras storms in. Normally, if a man came charging at her with what appeared to be a candlestick her first instinct would be to run and protect herself, but Enjolras looked so silly she could barely conceal her smile of amusement. "Monsieur Enjolras, may I ask what the hell you are doing?" While she knows it isn't cry ladylike to cuss, she is so amused she doesn't even give a damn. The spectacle before her even stops her tears, which she quickly attempts to conceal.

"Eponine. Um, I." Enjolras suddenly realizes he has made a complete fool of himself, and he cannot even put together a coherent sentence. "You see, I fear that the Patron-Minette is after us, and somehow discovered your whereabouts. I heard a sound from here, and naturally I feared the worst." Even to Enjolras' own ears, it sounds rather foolish.

Eponine simply raises an eyebrow. "And the candlestick?" She gestures at the candlestick, which he is still holding in his hand.

"A weapon to protect myself, and you of course." Fantastic, now he sounds both incompetent and selfish. Enjolras blushes feverishly, completely embarrassed of himself. Eponine finally releases the laugh she was holding in, adding salt to Enjolras' already wounded pride.

"Let's say the Patron-Minette were to be here, you plan to take them down with a candlestick? And when the revolution comes, how exactly do you plan to defeat the National Guard? By throwing your law books at them? Oh no, perhaps you can just chuck wine bottles at them, after all your friends seem to know quite a lot about those!" Her voice drips sarcasm which each word, and Enjolras is stunned, the last thing he expected her to do was start mocking him. Enjolras relaxes slightly, thankful she wasn't upset with him, like many would have been in her situation. Enjolras then notices her tears stained face, although Eponine is obviously trying to conceal it.

There is an awkward silence between the unlikely pair. Both are embarrassed of their own actions, Enjolras for running into her room with a candlestick to take down some of the most dangerous men in Paris, and Eponine for being caught crying. For most young teenage girls, crying is not terribly unusual, but for Eponine, showing emotion does nothing but harm. Showing any emotion on the streets is just asking for it, and showing emotion at home is a death wish. Enjolras searches his mind for the right ways to approach this situation. Enjolras looks at each moment in life as a situation in need of fixing, and everything is capable of being fixed if you play your cards correctly. But dealing with an obviously distraught young woman? "Is everything all right, Eponine?" Enjolras finally asks. Usually, he never speaks unless he is confident with his words, and never asks unless he already knows the answer. After all, he does wish to become a lawyer someday, but in this situation, all he wants to know is if she is okay.

"Yes, I am quite well." Eponine responds curtly, much more harshly than she intended. At this point she does not even car about being rude, all she wants is for him to go away. He has already has seen too much, far too much of her emotions. And quite truthfully, she does not even know if she is okay. Is she? Of course, she's been through so much in her past, she cannot just break down now. Yet another part if her knows that she is not okay, for obvious reasons.

Eponine is lying, clear as day, and as much as Enjolras wants to press for answers, he does not want to overwhelm her. She's extremely guarded, but Enjolras' wishes she would just be honest with him. It is clear that her misfortunes in life make her more guarded, but why will she not answer a simple question with an honest answer? She's so frustrating; his admittedly weak attempts at reaching out to her do nothing to help either of them, so what's the point in trying? "I have some school work to attend to if you don't mind. Just call if you require anything. Oh, and Joly should be stopping by soon to check on you." His tone is more commanding, an order not a question. Eponine immediately notices his sudden coolness, and she knows she brought it upon herself. Very well, two can play at that game. If there is one thing to know about Eponine Thénardier, it is that she will never back down from a challenge. Little does she know, she may very well meet her match in Adrien Enjolras.

Eponine would be lying if she thought that Enjolras' reaction was rather unexpected. In mere seconds, he went from an embarrassed, concerned young man, to an icy cold commander. From what she had heard about him, he was normally quite serious, but it was not the seriousness that shocked her but the time period in which his intensity changed. Before her eyes, he became a different man. Out with the feelings, the concern, which was quickly replaced by a man of marble. It confused her. She knows far too well how quickly emotions can change, experiencing her very own father's moments of rage and turmoil. Obviously, thankfully, Enjolras is nothing like her father, but he definitely has a very peculiar way of expressing his feelings. Whatever. Let him be distant, it is probably better for both of them that way. Eponine tries to roll onto her side, but finds the pain too intense to even do that.

While she's trying to get herself into a comfortable position, there's a knock on the door. "Eponine, Joly's here to check on your injuries." Enjolras tells her from the other side of the door, before entering with Joly in tow. Joly gives her a warm smile, something that Eponine is not used to, but she does her best to happily return it, although it looses the effect as she grimaces trying to sit up.

"No no no! Eponine, just stay still! If you want to heal properly and as quickly as possible, you absolutely cannot strain yourself. How are you feeling?" Joly is in full doctor mode now, his only concern being the patient before him.

"I'm doing just fine, thank you." Eponine responds, not really looking up at either of them. She winces as Joly wraps fresh cloth around the wound on her stomach, particularly as he wraps around her broken ribs.

"Have you found it difficult to breath at all?" Joly asks her while examining her ribs more closely.

"A little bit." She tells him, although honestly it hurts like crazy. Every breath she takes reminds her of her awful night.

"That is due to your broken ribs. While they are healing, you will be experiencing some pain. If it gets worse, or does not seem to be getting any better in the next few weeks, do not hesitate to get me. Also, this is very important, you cannot over exert yourself, or you will delay the recovery or it may never heal correctly. That means bed rest, and lots of it. Enjolras, keep an eye on her of course." Joly nods, finishing his diagnosis. Eponine looks up for a moment, having brief eye contact with Enjolras. His blue eyes have the gentle expression they held earlier, but just like that, it is gone. "So how are you two getting along?" Joly doesn't want to pry, but he, along with the rest of the Les Amis, is more than a little curious about how Enjolras is responding to having a young woman in his bed.

Eponine raises an eyebrow at Enjolras, daring him to speak first. His stony expression does not change, but his eyebrows furrow together as he tries to think of an appropriate response. While they aren't at each others throats, they were not exactly getting along famously. It isn't just Enjolras' fault, she makes it equally difficult to get close. Not that he wants to get close of course. He is here to keep her alive and well fed and nothing more. "We are getting along just fine, Joly." Enjolras tells him sternly, hoping Joly will drop the subject. Eponine just nods, not bothering to agree nor contradict him.

"Very well then, I will get going then. I will be back soon, Eponine." Joly gives her a respectful nod as he makes his way out the door. Enjolras follows suit, slightly awkwardly. "Enjolras, I think you and Eponine will be getting along very well."

Enjolras narrows his eyes at the other man, although he knows his intentions are nothing but good. "And what makes you say that?" He asks, wondering where this was coming from.

"I don't know. Well honestly, I think you two both have rather strong personalities, so will you will either kill each other or become great friends. I'm just being optimistic and hoping for the latter. Good day, Enjolras." With that, Joly gathers up the last of his medical supplies and heads out the door.

Enjolras wrinkles his nose, considering what Joly has said. It's true, Eponine is very stubborn, not unlike himself, but her heart is also in the right place. He has never met anyone so similar yet different to himself before her. There is something special about her, a spark, a fire in her, and he can see it. With that being said, he has no time to bother with relationships of any short, especially of those exceeding friendship. Even if he did have the time, she loves Marius, and even though he may not love her back, that is what she has chosen for herself. His life is the revolution, and that alone. They both have chosen their own paths, two paths that are sure to never cross.

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**I hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading! Please follow/fave and review, I'm always looking for constructive criticism and any thoughts you have! **


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